prologue
You put on your purple rainboots with the rainbow polka-dots.
You grab the green raincoat with all the pins and drape it over your shoulders.
You take the pastel-yellow umbrella and open it-slowly.
Finally, you tighten your overalls.
And walk outside.
The pat-pat on the roof turns to a rushing river right next to your ear.
You trot down the stone stairs and walk to the road.
You stand in the middle, puddles forming around your feet.
The serene rainfall is just an accessory to the lush forests ahead.
The forest absorbs the rain like a sponge.
You turn.
Walking to the backyard gate, you slosh threw newborn puddles.
As you unlatch the gate, a fresh wood scent overcomes the rain's dewy fragrance.
Overwhelmed with the scent, you open the gate and slide down the fence wall.
The mud soaks your overalls with dirty water. You look around.
New sprouts, happily bathing in the rain.
You could almost see them grow!
Grasses, becoming greener by the mere second.
Trees, looming overhead.
You stand.
Slowly, you close your umbrella and drop it into the mud.
The mud splatters on your boots, but you don't care.
You walk slowly to the back right corner of the backyard. The garden.
Tomatoes, carrots and potatoes neatly line the soil, sprouts shooting up from the earth.
You crouch next to the line of carrots and pull out the end sprout. It's done growing, being planted a month before the others.
You pull it.
It's perfect! It's tender, orange, and coated in dirt.
You let the rain wash off the carrot's dirt and soak your hair.
As most of the dirt is washed off, you carefully tuck the carrot in your pocket.
You slowly walk to the back fence.
A thick grove of trees forms a wall only inches beyond the fence.
You long to cross that border and rest your head on a firm tree trunk, well assured the leaves will protect you from the rain.
You reach the fence.
Grabbing the fence's smooth top, you hoist yourself on the fence.
You adjust the carrot in your pocket and sit.
You look around.
The forest surrounds you with security and freedom, opposite factors alike.
The wood scent is encapsulating now, dancing your senses into a mysterious trance.
A tree beckons you to climb it's marvelous branches and bask in the purity of nature.
"It's been awhile," The tree whispers.
You rise begrudgingly and swiftly and plant your feet on the lowest branch.
You continue to climb, increasing the pace by each branch, and soon enough you're looking over the house, road, garden, and your umbrella. This place was abandoned by society. People wanted more than a little house and a garden. They wanted a road where they can drive up and see the trees getting taken down, a city being built. But not you. Because you know life has more to it than meets the naked eye. Even the little things, like how only once a raindrop landed perfectly on your nose. You take the carrot out of your pocket. You brush off the last of the dirt and take a bite.
Cold, crunchy, earthy flavor fills your insides.
You lick your lips, and a starling lands on the end of the branch.
You turn your attention.
It's shivering and its wing is bent.
You slowly extend your hand and it waddles towards you eagerly.
It hesitates once it gets to your fingers, but it seems to push the emotion away and jump on your hand.
Slowly, you bring it to your chest and cradle it, swaying slowly on the branch. You both stay there for a while, in relaxation and satisfaction. Suddenly, waking you from a haze, it starts to nibble the carrot hungrily. You nudge the carrot closer and the starling devours it. You sit up, and watch the starling nibble. You lean your head into the tree and listen to the rain. It's a soothing lullaby, dreamy and gentle, protective. You close your eyes and drift off, like a rose petal, flowing along the currents of the wind.
And wake up.
chapter 1
a pink pigment
It just didn't make sense. It felt so real! I was walking, the rain soaking my feet through my boots. They were my boots. My raincoat. My overalls. I was looking at my house. I was looking at 128th and Mottle, where I live. On the abandoned road that I drive on every day. I felt, no, smelled the wood. And the rain, it made my hair wet. I ate the carrot. It was delicious. From my garden. It was magical. But it was just an illusion of my mind apparently. I woke up, and I went in my typewriter pajamas, mind you at 6:00am, to go see the garden. There was a hole where the carrot would be. It couldn't have been a dream. I felt that starling in my palms. THERE WERE FOOTPRINTS IN THE MUD! But I woke up. That outweighs it all. I'm confused. I don't know. It puts me in a bubblegum state. Sticky, pink, trapped. It's like I'm in a cocoon of confusion. All I can smell is my normal house, no wood scent, no rain on the ground. All I can see is my normal house, my normal everything. It's like when you get sick. You have to get a syringe full of gross bubblegum-flavored medicine to make you better, except this medicine is to make me believe that my dream, was a dream. Not a real life experience. I'm choosing Spearmint gum from now on. Oh, by the way, yes. I did have to pick up my umbrella from the mud.
"Talk, Echo." Orona says.
""bout what?" I say back. Orona rolled her eyes and says,
"Whatever's on your mind." I sigh."I had this dream last night," I say. Orona's eyes flash open, then close to slits. She hunches her back. "Is this another crazy superstition dream? I told you, my mom's back broke because she fell down the stairs!" I roll my eyes. "No. It's not. I basically predicted it. It's not a coincidence!" I repel. "Fine, tell." Orona agrees.
"I can't judge that.. But based off your dreams… it's probably just a dream," Orona says.
"Bu-but-but! It was so real! I have PROOF! Plus, there were footprints in the mud."
"Ok, now tell." Orona said, making a waving gesture.
"Ok, so I was wearing my usual rain outfit. My overalls, my rain jacket and my boots. I had my umbrella, too. So I walk out to the roa…" I trailed on.
"Hm. Do you remember it completely?" Orona said like a psychiatrist.
"Yes. Every bit of it. I couldn't have been sleepwalking, because I remember it completely! With my eyes open. What is it? What could it be?" I questioned, racking my brain for plausible answers.
"I dont know, Echo." She said, discouraged.